Grass

Rating:
Summary: Good characters, great suspense
Review: I was very impressed by the intense suspense created in me while I was reading this book. Like Marjorie and her family, I truly felt like I was on an alien planet, in an alien culture - I felt frustratingly confused by the dribbles of information (masterfully imparted by Tepper) and was made insatiably curious. However, I wasn't too impressed by the 'evolution' theory behind it all, but I'm going to give credit where it is due - the journey to that revealtion makes up for it. The characters and the interactions within this dysfunctional family are wonderfully portrayed, and gives an added dimension that most science/fiction fantasy books are lacking. Marjorie is an unlikely and unconventional heroine (not the normal romanticised figure - just a mother who cannot relate to her husband and daughter, but is innately competent) yet she is intensely appealing. Not only was I led to appreciate a new 'culture', but I also learnt to appreciate a new kind of character, one I don't often meet up with in fiction.

Rating:
Summary: Haunting
Review: I'm not a big Tepper fan but I read Grass anyway and I'm glad I did. The plot is rather intricate but a brief synopsis: Humans are scattered over several planets, one being Grass which is a backwater planet with an odd collection of so called "elites" living in a cultural milieu copied from English manors. The "commoners" are gathered in a large town and make a living mostly through trade with other planets. But rather bizarre things are happening in the universe. The catholic church as undergone a schism and the dominant branch is a rather bizarre organization called "sanctity." Meanwhile, a deadly plague threatens to wipe out humanity. But the plague has not touched Grass, so enter Lady Marjorie Westriding and her family, sent by the hierarch of the church to find a cure for the plague, believed to exist on Grass. But on Grass they also find bizarre goings on, mainly the strange aliens that seem to have some kind of hold over the populace.

Tepper has done an excellent job here of weaving an intricate plot together. There are numerous subtext to novels from relationships between men and women, alien contact, religious philosophy, and ethical decisions on how to react in the face of violence and potential genocide of the human race. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and depth of the novel. And unlike The Gate to Women's Country, the political and moral lessons are obvious but the reader is not bludgeoned over the head with them. This is one of the best science fiction novels I've read in a while.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I'm not a big Tepper fan but I read Grass anyway and I'm glad I did. The plot is rather intricate but a brief synopsis: Humans are scattered over several planets, one being Grass which is a backwater planet with an odd collection of so called "elites" living in a cultural milieu copied from English manors. The "commoners" are gathered in a large town and make a living mostly through trade with other planets. But rather bizarre things are happening in the universe. The catholic church as undergone a schism and the dominant branch is a rather bizarre organization called "sanctity." Meanwhile, a deadly plague threatens to wipe out humanity. But the plague has not touched Grass, so enter Lady Marjorie Westriding and her family, sent by the hierarch of the church to find a cure for the plague, believed to exist on Grass. But on Grass they also find bizarre goings on, mainly the strange aliens that seem to have some kind of hold over the populace.

Tepper has done an excellent job here of weaving an intricate plot together. There are numerous subtext to novels from relationships between men and women, alien contact, religious philosophy, and ethical decisions on how to react in the face of violence and potential genocide of the human race. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and depth of the novel. And unlike The Gate to Women's Country, the political and moral lessons are obvious but the reader is not bludgeoned over the head with them. This is one of the best science fiction novels I've read in a while.

Rating:
Summary: Sheri Tepper is quite the storyteller
Review: It's interesting to me that this woman was born in 1929 & didn't begin to publish until she retired in 1986. She can certainly catch you up in a plot. I enjoyed GRASS as well as Gate to Women's Country & Family Tree. I'm looking forward to reading others. I also have enjoyed mysteries she writes under pen name Orde. Her protaganist there, Jason, seems a very nice man. I have enjoyed the Amazon collection of reviews of this book. I would like to hear from the reader who gave it a 7 about authors she recommends that develop the theology better. Tepper did miss a great opportunity to enlighten Protestant readers better on original sin. Many do think it has something to do with sin committed by our antecedents. The best phrase I know to define original sin is "human nature being what it is..."

Rating:
Summary: A classic that should sit next to your beat up copy of Dune
Review: Tepper has created one of the most interesting novels of the genre to come along in quite some time. It isn't a "Space Opera" in the trashy "Star Wars" way--with laser blasters and gigantic monolithic space cruisers that pepper the pages of most sci-fi novels today--which I consider absolute garbage. And it isn't a virtual reality novel which is also an overdone genre--cloning every idea William Gibson started with his cult novels. I would classify it as anthropological science fiction in that it studies the cultures and people/aliens of a different planet in the universe. Tepper weaves a story which grabs you and doesn't let you go until the end--not being afraid to make you care for her characters and play with your emotions. I also love the way she blasts puritain based religions; showing they too can be corrupt and dispicable as the beings who use it for their own personal gains. I wish there was more science fiction like this instead of the garbage trying to pass itself off as important works in the field when they are no better than the tripe novels with the "Stars Wars", "Star Trek", "Babylon 5" trademarks gracing the covers and bestseller lists of today. We need more of this kind of fiction which is amazingly thought provoking and sparks debate among friends who love to discuss excellent science fiction.

Rating:
Summary: The best book I have ever read
Review: Teppers sensabilities awaken a primordial longing for simpler times as well as a desire to see in to the future.

Rating:
Summary: Hard to get into -- Almost not worth it
Review: The premise is that the story is set in about 2800. Terra (Earth) is run by a bunch of doctrine-spouting guys called Sanctity who have a lot of influence throughout the galaxy. Their control is threatened by the arrival of "plague" - it sounds a lot like leprosy to me, but hey, I'm no doctor. While plague might control the world's population (a major problem), it's not selective and Sanctity are equally susceptible.

Word gets out that there is no plague on Grass (a planet), and further, that if a person arrives on Grass with plague, they leave "cured". However, the rather inbred ruling class on Grass don't like visitors. Sanctity hears that the Grassian nobles "ride to hounds", so they try sending an Olympic medal-winning horseriding family as ambassadors to Grass.

The story revolves around the ambassadors' family's attempts to ingratiate themselves with the Grassian nobles, while surreptitiously trying to find out whether there is, in fact, plague on Grass. There are a number of underlying plotlines which aren't hugely relevant to the outcome but do paint a vivid picture of the world of Grass. The thing I found most fascinating is the description of "the Hunt" on Grass, despite the fact that I have no interest in horseriding myself.

It's difficult to say too much about why I rated this four stars instead of five without giving away important parts of the plot. I can say that the major criticism I have is that the Hunt appears to me to be the basis of this story (and the best part of it, in my opinion), but once I'd found out the secret (which is slowly and teasingly revealed), I wasn't that interested in the rest. It sort of ran out of steam for me.

Having said all that, it's an enjoyable read and a good introduction to Tepper's works.

Rating:
Summary: Anyone for hunting?
Review: The premise is that the story is set in about 2800. Terra (Earth) is run by a bunch of doctrine-spouting guys called Sanctity who have a lot of influence throughout the galaxy. Their control is threatened by the arrival of "plague" - it sounds a lot like leprosy to me, but hey, I'm no doctor. While plague might control the world's population (a major problem), it's not selective and Sanctity are equally susceptible.

Word gets out that there is no plague on Grass (a planet), and further, that if a person arrives on Grass with plague, they leave "cured". However, the rather inbred ruling class on Grass don't like visitors. Sanctity hears that the Grassian nobles "ride to hounds", so they try sending an Olympic medal-winning horseriding family as ambassadors to Grass.

The story revolves around the ambassadors' family's attempts to ingratiate themselves with the Grassian nobles, while surreptitiously trying to find out whether there is, in fact, plague on Grass. There are a number of underlying plotlines which aren't hugely relevant to the outcome but do paint a vivid picture of the world of Grass. The thing I found most fascinating is the description of "the Hunt" on Grass, despite the fact that I have no interest in horseriding myself.

It's difficult to say too much about why I rated this four stars instead of five without giving away important parts of the plot. I can say that the major criticism I have is that the Hunt appears to me to be the basis of this story (and the best part of it, in my opinion), but once I'd found out the secret (which is slowly and teasingly revealed), I wasn't that interested in the rest. It sort of ran out of steam for me.

Having said all that, it's an enjoyable read and a good introduction to Tepper's works.

Rating:
Summary: An accessible book to judge this author
Review: There's no doubt (to me) that this author has an important place in SF. I like to recommend her, but shy away from suggesting "The True Game" or "The Door into Womens Country" because I worry that that the reader would have to really, really like fantasy or feminist themes. Grass has depth and magic and shows why this author can grip the reader. It has the added advantage that I would expect the general reader, perhaps even your English teacher would like it.

Rating:
Summary: Intrigue, Creatures both terrifying & wondrous - visit Grass
Review: Unlike many fantasy or science fiction books you may see on the shelves today, Sheri Tepper creates a world that is thought provoking and provides a mystery of sorts you may not uncover until the very end. The characters are strong and independent. There is a plague affecting all planets except for Grass...why? What caused it, or who? This planet has its own history, cultures, and mysteries. Explore Grass and discover for yourself.